Could Raiders RB Darren McFadden Be A Bengals Free Agent Target In 2014?

New Bengals offensive coordinator and former Raiders head coach Hue Jackson suggested Monday he may have some interest in the team acquiring impending free agent running back Darren McFadden according to Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com.

Jackson very effectively built the Raiders offense circa 201-11 around McFadden during Jackson’s stint as the Raiders’ OC and (briefly) head coach, resulting in 336 carries for 1,771 yards (5.27 YPC) and 11 touchdowns across 20 games.

McFadden’s game has fallen off precipitously since Jackson’s departure and his ineffectiveness coupled with a much-deserved reputation for being injury-prone and slow to heal Could make him a bargain for some RB-needy team.

The surprise in all this is that the Bengals would seem to be one of the least RB-needy teams in the NFL with the steady-but-not-exciting Ben Jarvis Green-Ellis and sensational rookie Giovanni Bernard.

Many observers felt Bernard didn’t touch the ball enough in 2013 and the addition of yet another running back would split carries even further. Jackson says, however, “But I don’t think you can ever have too many good backs.”